i lost wally about a week and a half ago, and i took a chunk of his mane when i went to say good-bye. It still has his smell, and i love that smell, and i want to keep it for as long as i can, but i can tell it's going away. Any advice? I know this is super weird, but please?

I saw the subject line and I could not resist...I don't think it's weird at all. I know the smell of the horse I ride a couple times a week is certainly preserved in the big canvas bag in my trunk where my paddock boots, half-chaps, and helmet are stored. I don't know if there is some way to preserve it for the long-haul, but I would suggest a plastic baggie...and I wouldn't open it all that often, just when I needed that really powerful reminder.

I'm sorry you lost your boy, and I do get it that smell is one of the most incredibly evocative stimulus for memories. I don't think it's creepy or weird at all, and I wish you the best of luck with this...and that you find a new partner in due time. *hugs*

PS also maybe wrap up his mane in aluminum foil - that doesn't have a smell of its own, and maybe would be helpful in preserving the smell off his mane.

Agreed, nothing weird about that at all. It might seem that way to non-horsey people but we who have the bug understand your feelings exactly.

My best suggestion would be to put it in a Ziploc and then keep it in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight. Like Serafina said, try to avoid opening it too often.

Always remember that feeling of looking at a big, open country over the ears of a good horse, seeing a new trail unwind ahead of you, and that ever-spectacular view from the top of the ridge!!! Follow my training blog: http://robertsontraining.blogspot.com/

I have the tail of every horse i have lost. I braid the tail, rubberband it at the top and bottom of the braid then cut the braid off just below the bone before I put them to sleep. I keep all the tails in separate ziplock bags with names and dates written on the bags along with a photo of the horse. Some day I would like to make fly wisps out of the tails to hang in my equestrian room in my house. I also have lamp made out of the shoes of my Clydesdale "Seamus".
I have the towel that my Dalmation, 'Dottie" slept on also wrapped in a ziplock, I keep it in the linnen closet, top shelf. About once a year, when I clean the closet, I open the zip lock take a big whiff and have myself a good cry. How I loved that dog, and it has been 15 years, her smell is still strong.
So do I think it is weird that you want to heep your horses scent... not at all!!

I agree, not strange at all. Sorry to hear of your loss, rip Wally. I saved my mare's entire tail, she passed several years ago. I saved it in a vacuum sealed bag. I've been learning to hitch horsehair and plan to make myself reins from her tail once I'm certain I am good enough not to ruin it.

I have opened the bag a couple times and the smell is still there and has me in tears each time.Posted via Mobile Device

To all of us horse people, that's not wierd at all. I made a keychain out of my first horse's tail. I used to just hold it under my nose, I was so sad the first time I realized it smelled like my car and not my horse anymore. I wished so much that I'd found a way to preserve the smell.

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